Boks within touching distance of No 1 ranking

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for matches in The Rugby Championship 2025, the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 and Sudaméricano 2025 this weekend.

Permutation highlights

• South Africa will return to top spot if they avoid defeat against New Zealand at Eden Park they only need to draw with New Zealand at Eden Park.

• A draw at New Zealand’s citadel – something they last achieved in 1994 – would put the Springboks 0.03 rating points ahead of New Zealand, who are defending a 50-Test unbeaten record at the iconic venue.

• A South African win will see the All Blacks drop two places to third with Ireland climbing to above them into second.

• Defeat for South Africa will see them drop back to third, swapping place again with Ireland.

• It could also give New Zealand a 1.83 point advantage over Ireland at the top if the All Blacks win by more than 15 points.

• In the earlier of the two Rugby Championship kick-offs on Saturday, Argentina take on Australia knowing that they will become the higher-ranked of the two sides if they come away from Townsville with a win.

• The Wallabies cannot improve on sixth place – and what would be a place in band one for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 draw in December – with a win because England are too far ahead to be caught this weekend.

• Los Pumas will retain seventh place even in defeat.

• Neither of the higher-ranked teams in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 – Fiji and Japan – can improve their position with victories over Samoa and USA respectively.

• The same applies to Uruguay, who take a 12-point lead into the second leg of their Sudaméricano 2025 final against Chile in Montevideo. However, an aggregate win will secure RWC 2027 qualification for Los Teros.

• USA will move above Tonga into 17th if they beat Japan on home soil and all the other results go according to the formbook. However, defeat will see them drop below Portugal.

• A shock win for Samoa over Fiji in New Zealand will be rewarded with a one-place gain, replacing Japan in 13th, if the margin of victory is more than 15 points.

• A narrower margin of victory will be sufficient if Japan fail to win.

• Chile can reach a new high of 19th but only if they win by more than 15 points, a margin that would be enough to qualify for RWC 2027. They could go to 18th is USA lose by the same margin in Sacramento.

• A heavy defeat could see Uruguay plummet four places to 20th, with Chile becoming the higher ranked of the two nations for the first time by just 0.01 points.

Match official highlights

• Paul Williams (New Zealand) takes charge of Australia v Argentina for the second time, having been in the middle for the 15-15 draw between the sides in the 2020 Tri-Nations in Newcastle. Both sides lost their most recent encounter with the New Zealand official in the middle.

• Karl Dickson (England) will referee New Zealand v South Africa for the first time, having only previously been an assistant referee, including for the Rugby World Cup 2023 final.

• Takehito Namekawa (Japan) takes charge of Fiji for the first time in a Test when they face Samoa in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup in New Zealand. Samoa won their only previous match with the Japanese official in middle, against Tonga in last year's competition.

• Craig Evans (Wales) will referee USA v Japan for the first time with both teams seeking a first victory with the Welsh official in the middle after defeats in 2024.

• Jérémy Rozier (France) is again in the middle for the second leg of the Sudaméricano 2025 after overseeing Uruguay's win in Chile last weekend.

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Australia v Argentina at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville @ 6.30am

Referee: Paul Williams (NZRU)

Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (RFU), Sam Grove-White (SRU)

Television Match Official: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Split Screen/FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)

Wallabies starting XV: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Corey Toole; 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Nic White; 8 Harry Wilson (capt), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini; 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost; 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 Tom Robertson. Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

Los Pumas starting XV: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras; 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Garcia; 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez; 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina; 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (capt), 1 Mayco Vivas. Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Joaquin Oviedo, 21 Augustin Moyano, 22 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 23 Benjamin Elizalde.

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New Zealand v South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand - Saturday @ 9.05am

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)

Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), Jordan Way (RA)

Television Match Official: Brett Cronan (RA)

Split Screen/FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

All Blacks starting XV: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane; 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie; 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Simon Parker; 5 Tupou Vaa'i, 4 Scott Barrett (capt); 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot. Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Damian McKenzie.

Springboks starting XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (capt), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Canan Moodie; 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Grant Williams; 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker.